1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of vehicle warning systems which provide a visual display to advise other drivers on the road as to what action the driver of a vehicle is taking.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, warning systems to advise other drivers of what a driver of a vehicle is doing have been developed. Most of these systems involve the use of warning lights to signal what a driver is about to do or has just done.
The following ten issued patents or published patent applications are relevant to the field of the invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,641 issued to Yang on Jan. 16, 1990 for “Real-Time Speed Display Apparatus” (hereafter the “Yang Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,962 issued to Sarokin on Jul. 10, 1990 for “Front Mounted Vehicle Braking Indicator” (hereafter the “Sarokin Patent”);
3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,426 issued to O'Sullivan on Dec. 13, 1994 for “Front-Mounted Vehicle Brake Light” (hereafter the “O'Sullivan Patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,691 issued to Tim Kao on Aug. 25, 1998 for “Accessory Brake Light System For Automobile” (hereafter the “Kao Patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,780 B1 issued to Kashefy on Apr. 3, 2001 for “Dynamic Traffic Light” (hereafter the “Kashefy Patent”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. D451,281 S issued to Bernier on Nov. 27, 2001 for “Front Bumper Brake Light” (hereafter the “Bernier Patent”);
7. U.S. Pat. No. 6,573,830 B2 issued to Cohen on Jun. 3, 2003 for “Progressive Brake Light System” (hereafter the “Cohen Patent”);
8. United States Patent No. US 2003/0231108 A1 issued to Welch on Dec. 18, 2003 for “Vehicle Movement Warning Light System” (hereafter the “Welch Patent”);
9. U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,272 B2 issued to Hall on Feb. 10, 2004 for “Front Safety Light For Alerting Braking Conditions OF A Vehicle” (hereafter the “Hall Patent”);
10. PCT Application No. PCT/US01/44124 filed on Nov. 6, 2001 for “Method And Apparatus Used For Installation And Operation Of A Front Vehicle Brake Light” (hereafter the “'44124 PCT Application”).
The Yang Patent discloses a real-time speed display apparatus for displaying vehicle speed with different colors of light which has a speed detector for detecting the speed of revolution of the transmission shaft of a vehicle and outputting a speed signal with its pulse rate varied as a function of the revolution speed. The invention involves a real-time speed display apparatus for displaying the speed of a vehicle with lights of different colors comprising detection means for detecting the speed of the vehicle and outputting a speed signal; control means coupled to the detection means for generating a display control signal in response to the speed signal; and display means coupled to the control means for generating light of different colors in response to the display control signal. The detection means also comprises a brake detector connected to the brake pedal of the vehicle, to generate a predetermined control signal to the display means upon detection of the use of the vehicle's brake pedal. Upon receipt of the predetermined control signal, the display means will generate a red light.
The Sarokin Patent deals with a front mounted vehicle braking system. The lights are in the front of the vehicle. The invention involves a braking indicator for vehicles which provides an indication from the front of the vehicle. By way of example referring to Column 2, beginning on Line 23, the invention discloses “an initial depression of the brake pedal results in movement of the pin into the first detent thereby completing an electrical circuit from the vehicle battery through the first contact to the first front mounted brake light thereby providing an indication to vehicles or pedestrians in front of the vehicle that the vehicle's brakes have been initially applied. Further, depression of the brake pedal beyond the initial brake depression moves the pin into the second detent thereby completing a circuit through a second contact between the vehicle battery and the second brake light indicator. This activates a second brake light indicator to provide an indication to vehicles and pedestrians in front of the vehicle that the vehicle brakes have been depressed further beyond a light depression or initial brake depression.
The O'Sullivan Patent discloses a vehicle brake light signal for alerting pedestrians or other vehicle drivers positioned in front of a vehicle to a deceleration of the associated vehicle. The device includes a signal assembly which may be secured to a front area of the vehicle. The signal assembly is electrically coupled to both the brake lights of the vehicle and the variable rate flasher. Upon a depression of the brake pedal of the vehicle, the signal assembly will illuminate or flash to warn others of the vehicle's deceleration. Alternative embodiments of the invention involve a variable aperture assembly controlled by a deceleration sensor for varying the intensity of the signal assembly as a function of the vehicle's deceleration. As you can see, in this case it is located in the center of the vehicle as opposed to underneath the headlights as in the previous patent.
The Kao Patent which issued in 1998 also discloses an accessory brake light system for an automobile is located on the grill. An objective of the invention is to provide an accessory brake light system for automobiles that can provide various kinds of warning signals to point out the braking conditions of the automobile for vehicles or pedestrians positioned in front of the vehicle. The device as disclosed comprises specific warning signals when the automobile is braking to slow down or fully stop in order to enable other vehicles or pedestrians that are positioned in front of the vehicle to be clearly aware of whether the driver of that vehicle is prepared to stop or not and hence reduce the chance of an accident from happening.
The Kashefy Patent discloses a lighting system is on the back of the vehicle but it has a sequence of lights with various logical steps so that cars following the vehicle can know exactly the nature of the way the vehicle is braking. The vehicle signaling display device is mounted on an automotive vehicle, so that signaling lights of the device are visible for drivers of following vehicles. They include orange or amber, red and green lights and includes a system specifically designed to count speed sensor pulses for measuring speed of any vehicle of any make and model on which the device is installed for controlling the signaling lights in accordance with the speed of the vehicle so that the device turns certain sequence colors to tell following drivers how fast the vehicle is going and whether it is slowing down.
The Bernier Patent is a design patent which is entitled “FRONT BUMPER BRAKE LIGHT” and as disclosed in FIG. 6, the front bumper brake light is shown above the grill on the front bumper. Therefore, the concept of having a front bumper brake light is shown in this design patent.
The Cohen Patent shows the concept of having different lighting sequences to illustrate different speeds of the vehicle and what the driver is doing. The brake lights are in the back of the vehicle and not the front. The progressive vehicle brake light system consists of a brake sensor arranged to sense the travel of a brake pedal and the brake light display arrangement to illuminate or extinguish in sequence or progressively in response to the travel of the brake pedal. The brake light display consists of a row of light emitting diodes which are arranged to illuminate from the opposite ends toward the middle as the brake pedal is depressed and to extinguish in reverse sequence when the brake pedal is released.
Welch discloses a vehicle provided with front warning lights adjacent to the front corners of the vehicle. When the vehicle's brake is released, the lights adjacent to the front corner flash red to warn that the vehicle is about to move or has begun to move. A release of the brake pedal deactivates the rear brake lights and completes electrical circuits to activate the red front warning lights. Optionally, a set of green lights can be added to the system to flash green when the vehicle is stopping or when the vehicle has stopped, thereby signaling to other vehicles at an intersection that those vehicles could safely cross in front of the vehicle until the front warning lights change from green to red.
The Hall Patent is a front safety light for alerting braking conditions of a vehicle. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the numerous different locations in the front of the vehicle show the braking system in the front. The invention involves an accessory brake light system for a vehicle comprising a secondary brake light attached to a front of the vehicle. A power source is provided for supplying power to a primary brake light. The primary brake light is attached to the rear of the vehicle. A switch connects the power to the primary brake light when the brake is engaged by an operator which causes the primary brake light to illuminate. A delay mechanism is provided which is capable of determining a delay period after the brake is engaged and the power is connected to the secondary brake light after the delay period thereby illuminating the secondary brake light.
The WIPO Patent discloses a method and apparatus used for installation and operation of a front vehicle brake light. The method discloses using the existing brake light circuitry installed within a vehicle to energize an additional apparatus, such as a front vehicle brake light without adding any components other than one jumper cable which when installed, causes the additional light to illuminate simultaneously with the rear brake lights when the vehicle brakes are applied, so as to notify pedestrians or other drivers viewing from the front of the vehicle that the host vehicle is in a braking mode.
While the prior art discloses warning systems which include a sequence of lights, there is a significant need for an improved advisory system to advise drivers of other vehicles and passengers within the vehicle being driven as to the moving or stopping condition of the vehicle at any given time.